Cops: Device stole data at Cos Cob ATM

David Hennessey

Updated 6:45 pm, Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Several thousands of dollars was taken from the accounts of multiple bank customers last month after someone installed a card-skimming device at an ATM at a Bank of America branch in Cos Cob.

Lt. Kraig Gray, spokesman for the Greenwich Police Department, said numerous bank customers had their debit card information compromised at the end of January by the device, which thieves sometimes install with small cameras to capture bank account information.

Gray did not provide a number of customers, or for how long the device was installed, but added that such devices are usually in place for a brief period, sometimes only hours.

Bank of America officials detected the fraudulent activity and reported it to the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force, a group of state and federal law enforcement officials, Gray said.

T.J. Crawford, spokesman for Bank of America, confirmed the bank is working with law enforcement officials but declined to comment on how many customers' accounts were compromised.

Victims of fraud are reimbursed, said Crawford, who said the bank proactively reaches out to customers who may have been victimized.

Though Bank of America has security measures in place, customers should notify the bank if they believe there are problems with their account or an ATM by contacting a local branch or calling the number on the back of their card, Crawford said.

Though there have not been any arrests in the latest skimming case, law enforcement officials have busted numerous criminals for their involvement in similar schemes locally.

Romanian citizens Marian Caraivan and Mustafa Timur, who were part of a skimming scheme that targeted banks in Greenwich and Stamford, were sentenced last year to 33 months in federal prison and face deportation after they are released.

Cariavan and Timur conspired with others to install skimming devices on ATMs at three JP Morgan Chase Bank locations in Greenwich and Stamford, according to court documents. The devices were able to capture information encoded on magnetic strips of bank cards used by ATM customers, authorities said.

Ion Constantine, a Romanian national known as "Tarzan," was sentenced in 2011 to 46 months in prison for his role in an ATM-skimming scheme that hit a People's United Bank in Cos Cob, among others in lower Fairfield County. As part of his sentence, he was ordered to serve five years of supervised released, pay a $10,000 fine, and pay $60,664 in restitution.

Members of Constantine's group also received jail sentences for their roles in the crimes.

Gray urged bank customers to shield the keypad when entering their information and be aware of any apparent changes to the ATM.